A helicopter crash in which two Galway businessmen were killed last month made a routine call to another chopper shortly before it crashed, a preliminary investigation has found.
Damien Bergin and Mark Reilly died after the privately owned Robinson R44 helicopter with three people on board crashed in conditions of poor visibility in the Slieve Aughty mountains on July 9th. They had been returning from the Tall Ships race in Waterford.
The chopper came down in dense forest near the wind farm site at Derrybrien in Galway.
Both the Department of Transport's air accident investigation unit (AAIU) and the Garda opened inquiries into the cause of the crash.
In a preliminary report issued today, the AAIU said the helicopter was returning to its base near Galway airport, having over-nighted in New Ross, Co Wexford.
It was tracked by Shannon Radar, maintaining a direct flight path towards Galway. However, the radar did not record the helicopter's altitude because of how its transponder was set. The AAIU report says that shortly before the accident, the pilot of the helicopter, registered EI-DOC, was in radio communication with another helicopter at Galway airport.
"The call was routine in nature. This was the last known communication from EI-DOC. The Shannon radar plot shows the helicopter maintained its track passing over the Slieve Aughty Mountains," the report said.
"As it approached the summit area at Cashlaunrumlahan, its speed reduced significantly. The final radar returns showed a sharp turn to the right and the signal then disappeared. The helicopter struck trees NE of Cashlaunrumlahan, followed by ground impact in a dense forest.
"The pilot used a mobile phone to raise the alarm. Two Galway-based helicopters responded, as did the Shannon-based Coastguard S61 and ground-based emergency services. The casualties were located and evacuated to hospital about one hour after the accident.
"Preliminary examination of the helicopter shows no evidence of pre-impact failure. Several reports have been received by the investigation indicating poor visibility and low cloud in the area at the time of the accident," the report concluded.
Mr Bergin, who was single and in his 30s, was from Castleblakeney, east Galway. Mr Reilly (49) was a father of three young children, and a well-known Galway city businessman. He part-owned the Front Door pub in the city centre and Tom Sheridan's in Knocknacarra.
A third man on board, Mike Givens, was treated in hospital.